


and your heart is your masterpiece

by extraordinarycorn



Series: promise i'll do better // irondad fics [11]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Movie Night, Peter Parker Can't Thermoregulate, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Loves Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Platonic Cuddling, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Loves Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23901556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extraordinarycorn/pseuds/extraordinarycorn
Summary: He's had this dream a thousand times. He's comfy, he's safe, he's in his element—the penthouse, Mr. Stark's lab, working on chemistry homework. Everything is okay.Peter wakes up alone....this is, to date, my most-successful-ever attempt at fluff, complete with cuddles and Soft Tony Stark™
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: promise i'll do better // irondad fics [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1056971
Comments: 36
Kudos: 409





	and your heart is your masterpiece

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wisterispidey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisterispidey/gifts).



> title from i'll keep you safe by sleeping at last. 
> 
> for spideynamu: i featured all three prompts in a way, but the focus here is movie night! i had so much trouble posting this, so i'm really thankful i finally got it up. hope you enjoy <3 
> 
> disclaimer: i literally only write sad dramatic stuff. this is new territory.

. 

. 

. 

He's had this dream a thousand times. 

"Peter?" 

Walking up from behind him, Tony rests a hand on his shoulder, and Peter leans into the touch. Doesn't need to turn and see who it is; Tony's voice, his cologne, even his footsteps are as familiar as anything. "Hey, Mr. Stark." 

He's comfy, he's safe, he's in his element—the penthouse, Mr. Stark's lab, working on chemistry homework. 

Everything is okay. 

* * *

Peter wakes up alone. 

Something is… wrong. He blinks into consciousness slowly, head throbbing, hands… soaked. His hands are soaked. 

His hair is soaked. His clothes are soaked. He's wet. All over. The sky is falling. 

No… that's not what it's called. It's— 

Raining. 

Slowly, Peter blinks. 

He's cold. He's wet and rain is falling down, down, down and hitting concrete, cars, puddles, streetlights. He can hear it. The way the water sounds on each different surface. 

"Misser Stark," Peter slurs, blinking again. It's a lot harder to peel his eyes back open this time. "Misser Stark… the rain." 

He wants to tell him. Wants Tony to know how nice it sounds, all the rain in New York City in his ears. He's so lucky he can hear it like this. Rain on a window, rain in a pot because someone's roof is leaking six blocks away, rain on the leaves in Central Park— 

Where is Tony, anyway? Wasn't he here? 

A slam of metal into concrete. Peter would flinch, but he can't find the energy. So tired. 

Calloused hands find his face, cupping his cheek and turning his gaze. Peter blinks again. He's so cold. So wet. And tired. 

Oh... there's Mr. Stark. 

"Hi," Peter says, grinning. 

Tony's talking, probably. Always talking. They both talk so much. Drives Rhodey nuts. Peter smiles a little wider at that, giggles a little bit. Rhodey thinks they're both craaaazy. The giggle turns into a yawn, and Peter's so cold but he isn't shivering, he's just tired, so tired… 

Tony isn't smiling. Maybe he's worried. He looks worried. Peter's smile fades a little. Oh no. What'd he do this time? 

He can't hear Mr. Stark, can't hear him over the rain, can't hear him over the roaring in his ears that's getting louder and louder and drowning everything out, and he blinks again but this time when his eyes slide shut they don't open because he's so cold and just… so... tired. 

* * *

They were on patrol. 

Well, Spider-Man was on patrol. Iron Man just tagged along for the ride. Gave a few baddies quite a scare. Spider-Man guarding the city's streets, yeah, sure, totally, but Iron Man had these guys peeing their pants. 

And, Peter noted with glee, they were a _good team._ Peter's superhuman sensitivity coupled with Tony's firepower made for a dangerous combination. Peter almost found himself wishing they'd encounter something _really_ big today, because this—this right here was the dream team. They could handle anything. Peter felt invincible. 

He felt like an Avenger. 

But it was cold. An hour in, the rain started up. Karen kicked up the heater, and Peter said he was fine, and Mr. Stark believed him. The suit would keep him warm enough—what harm could a little cold water do? 

This was Peter's first winter after the bite. 

Neither of them had any way of knowing. 

* * *

Tony can't get him back to the compound fast enough. Peter looks—he looks like— 

Tony can't even _think_ it. 

* * *

FRIDAY opens a window near the med bay and he stumbles in, limp spider-child in his arms, stricken and terrified. Cho appears and he's babbling about how he doesn't know what happened, Peter just collapsed, he just— 

He just— 

* * *

"He'll be fine," Cho says gently, hours later, resting a hand on Tony's shoulder. He doesn't let a lot of people do that, but he doesn't trust a lot of people with Peter's life, either, and Cho's on both lists. "He's been stable for long enough, you can take him back to the living wing.. Just keep him warm. I'm thinking that, best case scenario, he'll be cold and sleepy for a few days yet. Keep him wrapped up and make sure he eats enough, and he'll be back to normal before you know it. I'm already working on a long-term solution." 

Tony nods, expression tight, lips forming a hard line. He doesn't trust himself to answer. Seeing Peter so limp and peaceful, splayed on the rooftop like that… He can't get over the image. For a second—for a second he'd thought— 

"Tony." 

Cho's voice breaks through his thoughts, and Tony hums. "He's _fine,_ " she reminds him. "Just keep him warm." 

_Keep him warm._ Tony snorts. He couldn't believe it when Cho informed him why, exactly, Peter collapsed in the middle of a patrol, and if he's honest he kind of still can't. 

Because, honestly. Hibernation? _Really?_ What if Tony hadn't been there and someone had found him—what if it had happened while he was just Peter Parker, on the street, walking to school, what if someone had found him then— 

What if it had happened at the wrong place, wrong time, what if he'd fallen asleep and never woken up? 

One detail different today, and Peter would have frozen to death on a rooftop. 

Tony pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a shuddering breath. _He's fine._ Right. Stop freaking out. Might've gotten a little dicey for a second, but the kid's alright now. He's okay. 

_Pull yourself together, Stark._

"So," he announces, clapping his hands together. "What I'm hearing: this is the perfect time for a movie night." 

* * *

Peter's still very sleepy. 

But he can walk _fine,_ thanks very much. The only reason Tony is carrying him is because he's a _helicopter dad_ and also _crazy,_ but at this point Peter can't even bring himself to argue. He's still a little sleepy and a lot cold. Dr. Cho said that'll last a couple of days, which Tony and Peter both frowned at. 

Peter peeks out of his burrito blanket just in time to let out a little squeal as Tony dumps him onto the couch. Well, Peter can only assume the couch is still here beneath the ridiculous amount of blankets and pillows… 

"Really, Mr. Stark? Isn't this excessive…?" 

Peter trails off, because oh, these blankets are sinfully soft. Okay, maybe he won't complain. 

He yawns as Tony sits down beside him. "Can't believe you managed to carry me this far… old man." 

"Watch it, Spider-Twerp." Tony nudges Peter's shoulder. "Who's the veteran superhero here? Pretty sure it's me. Last I checked, I mean, it was definitely me. FRIDAY? It's me, isn't it?" 

_"Boss is the, as he put it, 'veteran superhero,' though it is worth noting that he has stated in multiple interviews that his personal hero is Spider-Man."_

"Wow. Betrayal." Tony shakes his head, refusing to acknowledge Peter's smug grin. "Stabbed through the heart by my own creation." 

The real reason Tony was able to carry Peter all this way is because Peter seems to have taken on a lot of… _unexpected_ spidery characteristics, which Tony and Helen are only just now discovering. Apparently, his bones are now hollow and thus much, much lighter—something to do with the fact that spiders have exoskeletons? 

And, of course, there's the thing that landed Peter in the med bay in the first place. 

"Thermoregulation issues," Tony mutters. 

"Issues," Peter repeats, snuggling tighter against Tony's side. " _Issues._ That… is an understatement." 

"A gross understatement," Tony agrees. 

"I could have died," Peter tacks on, but Tony's face changes and he backtracks. "I mean—if you weren't there. If Karen wasn't there. But you were both there so I'm fine. Clearly." 

He laughs that awkward, nervous laugh. Tony's lips twitch up into a smile. He wraps an arm around Peter's shoulders, pulling him closer. The warmth that fills Peter's chest has nothing to do with blankets or body heat. 

"Clearly," Tony repeats. "Right as rain." 

Peter's mouth drops open. "Mr. Stark! You made a dad joke!" 

Tony's face changes again, but this time it's funny, and Peter laughs. "I—no. I did not. That was—unintentional." 

"Right as _rain!_ It totally was—" 

"Not another word. This conversation didn't happen." 

"Oh, it happened. You know who else knows it happened? FRIDAY. Bet she's got it on video." 

_"Affirmative,"_ comes a voice from the ceiling, and Tony rolls his eyes. 

"I'm putting you both up for adoption." 

Star Wars movie are their go-to, but Tony's probably not in the mood to confront his space trauma after tonight's ordeal, and anyway, Peter's got plenty of nerdy fixations that have nothing to do with faraway galaxies. 

_Click. Click._

Tony's controlling the remote, flicking through Netflix titles, and Peter wonders what he'll put on but doesn't care too much either way. He may be warmer now, but he's still sleepy, and he doubts he'll last twenty minutes once the movie's on. 

"Ooh, there we go." 

The lights dim as the movie starts. 

"Moana," Peter mumbles as the first song starts. "That. Is an interesting choice, Mr. Stark." 

"I can just hear the derision. You know, Morgan appreciates my taste." 

"Tha's good…" Peter yawns, fighting to get his eyes back open every time he blinks. "Mm. You're _so_ warm." 

"That so?" Tony squeezes his shoulder, and Peter snuggles closer. 

"Yeah…" 

He doesn't remember much after that, his eyes sliding shut for good. Gentle, cheerful music. Tony's cologne. Silky softness of the blankets and a sturdy warmth against his side. 

Everything is okay. 

. 

. 

. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! hope you all enjoyed! i love comments... they keep me going <3 
> 
> and for spideynamu: i did my best, and i really hope this is what you were hoping for!


End file.
